Apparatus for the automatic emptying of receptacles



Oct. 20, 1936. H. E. LABB APPARATUS vFOR THE AUTOMATIC EEMPTYING OF 'RECEPTACLES Filed Aug. 11, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 0a. 20, 1936. H, E, LABBE 2,058,325

APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC EMPTYING OF RECEPTACLES Filed Aug 11, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 20,1936. H. E. LABBE 2,058,325

APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC EMPTYING OF RECEPTACLES Filed Aug. 11, 1931 r 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.4

- HEN/731'; zmzaze: y 6% AZforney- Patented Oct. 20, 1936 4 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC EMPTYING OF RECEPTACLES Henri Eugene Lon Labb, Asnieres, France 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to an automatic apparatus for emptying liquids contained in a receptacle, when the outside atmosphere or air attains a predetermined temperature, this being an apparatus of the type disclosed in my Patent No.

1,874,106 dated August 30, 1932 entitled: Apparatus for the automatic emptying of receptacles.

The present invention has for its object certain modifications of said apparatus in order .to increase their field of use, and chiefly to provide for their approved functioning in all situations, and particularly on supports which are subjected to heavy shocks or jarring, and to receptacles which may be situated at various points which are located at a certain distance from a given point, and may also be separated from one another by a certain distance.

In conformity to the present invention, an apparatus adapted for the emptying of a receptacle mounted on a support subjected to heavy shocks or jarring, comprises, in combination, parts which are specially designed for the purpose of counteracting the effect of such shocks and jarring upon the working parts of the apparatus.

The following construction is employed.

The lever which controls the emptying device is balanced about its axis of rotation. The center of gravity of said lever coincides with the said axis of rotation. Consequently, any shock or jarring which is brought upon the apparatus and which is received by the lever produces a disturbing force which passes through the centerof gravity of said lever and therefore through the axis of rotation of the lever, and thereby effects no rotation of said lever.

The disturbing effects which are parallel with the axis of each rotating part are absorbed by springs.

It is shown in practice that such an apparatus is quite unaffected by the heaviest shocks or jarring when it is mounted on a motor vehicle with the axis of the above lever arranged crosswise the direction of motion of the said vehicle, and that it will provide for a very regular emptying of the cooling water tank of the engine of said vehicle when the temperature is lowered to the value for which the apparatus has been adjusted.

In conformity to the invention, an apparatus for the emptying of receptacles may comprise devices for distant control whereby the said apparatus will control the emptying of a receptacle at a point situated at any distance from the said apparatus, and for this purpose the invention thus 55 particularly relates to a connection between the emptying device and the emptying valves, by means of flexible cables.

The invention further relates to a device for regulating the distance of such control apparatus, which device comprises a screw nipple which is screwed to the frame of the emptying apparatus.

The invention further relates to central heating plants employing hot water or steam in which the whole or a part of the radiators and pipes may be automatically emptied when owing to fortuitous circumstances they have been out of use during a certain period of very cold weather.

In conformity to the invention, the emptying apparatus may be further combined with a device for indicating its release, in order that the service staff may be informed of such release, and to enable the emptying apparatus to be put in working order, hence providing for the closing of the valves when required.

The accompanying drawings show a possible embodiment of the invention but is in no wise of a limitative nature.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section on the line II of Figure 3, of a device for controlling the emptying of a receptacle constructed according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of said device on the line IIII of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of said device on the line IIIIII of Figure 1.

Fig. 4 relates to a central heating plant comprising the emptying devices as herein disclosed.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of a socket connection with the receptacle.

In these figures, the same reference letters and numerals relate to analogous parts.

In Figure 1, I is a frame to which a device 34, deformable by the temperature variations towhich it is subjected, is secured at 55 by one of its ends; said device is constructed in accordance with my aforesaid patent by the use of strips 3 of a metal having a great expansion coefficient, combined with strips 4 of a metal whose expansion coeflicient has a smaller value. The last strip of this device, which is the farthest from the attach- .ing points 5-5, is free to move, and can thus be displaced to a degree corresponding to the total amount of the displacements of the several parts of the deformable device.

The said strip situated at the end is provided with a rod 6 which thus receives the whole amount of the displacement; said rod passes freely through a lever movable on an axle 8 mounted on a support 9 secured to the frame I. The lever I is mounted on the rod 6 between a spring I!) surrounding said rod and a nut II which may be adjusted along the said rod, and the said nut may be held in the proper position on the rod by a pin I2. In the lever is a notch l3 in which is normally engaged a lever M which turns about an axle |5, and herein the said lever l4 consists of a plate adapted to make contact with the end of a lever l5 which is movable about an axle I! and subjected to the action of a spring i8 whose fixed end is in contact with a support |9 secured to the frame A flexible cable 2| contained in a sheath 22 is attached at one end to an arm 23 mounted on the lever i6 the other end of the cable is attached to a clack valve 24 (faced with a yielding substance 25) fitting upon a seat 26 of like form provided in a socket 21, said valve being controlled by a spring 28 by which its facing 25 is normally brought upon the said valve seat 26.

The said socket further comprises a conduit 29 for the emptying of the receptacle 30 containing the liquid to be discharged by means of said valve, and also an orifice 3| for the emptying of the liquid.

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the device 34 which is deformable under the effect of the resulting temperatures, also the lever and the plate l4 adapted for the distant control of any number of valves 24, the plate |4 being combined with as many levers H5 and cables 2| as there are valves under control.

The lever l is balanced about its axis 8. In order to place the center of gravity of said lever 'l at its axis, a counterweight 1a is applied at the free end of lever I so that the said lever is thereby equally distributed by weight on both sides of its axis. Suitable springs 323334 surround the respective axles 8-|5|'| of the levers '||4-|B and are compressed between said levers and the frame I; said springs serve to hold the levers in position under the effect of the shocks and jarring to which the apparatus may be subjected. The ends of the levers l6 may be faced with a yielding substance 35 adapted to absorb all jarring motion.

The whole apparatus as above specified may be suspended at 36, 36 from an outside construction such as a motor vehicle frame or the like, by shock-absorbers 3'! which are adapted to take up the heaviest shocks brought upon the apparatus, and which offer no hindrance to the operation of the said construction, due to the flexible cables 2| controlling the emptying valves. Such shock absorbers may be made of helicoidal springs, rubber pieces or the like, and the frame I is supported by the same or suspended from the same.

The apparatus may be provided with an indicating device situated at a certain distance, such as an indicating disk 38 mounted on a lever 39 which is connected by a member 40, optionally flexible, withan arm 4| attached to the lever I4 and combined with a spring 42, and thus when the lever turns upon its axle 8, the plate l4 which is already driven back by the springs l8 and the levers l6, will also be driven back by spring 42.

As above stated, a regulating device may be mounted upon each of the distant controls in order to facilitate the adjustment of the distances of the corresponding emptying valve from the control apparatus. In Figures 1 and 2, this device consists of a threaded nipple 43 rigid with the sheath 22 carrying the flexible cable 2| and provided with an adjustable nut 44, through actuation of which the nipple may be moved to cause a variation of the length of said sheath between the frame I and the control valve.

By the use of an apparatus as above disclosed, if the temperature is equal to or is less than the temperature for which the apparatus has been adjusted, the strips 3 will contract, and the rod 6 will move to the right. The lower end of the lever 1 will turn in the same direction; the plate I4 is thus removed from the notch l3, and is abruptly brought down by the springs l8 and 42, concur- .rently with the levers IS. The flexible cables 2| are drawn upon, and will hence open the valves of the corresponding receptacles and the latter are thus emptied.

Figure 4 shows a central heating plant pro vided with the emptying apparatus as specified in the aforesaid patent or as hereinbefore described. The central heating plant comprises a boiler 45 which represents the lowest part of the plant. The radiators 45 and 41 are connected by a hot water pipe 48 at whose upper end is an expansion vessel 49;

The cooled water returns through a pipe 50 connected with the bottom of the said boiler.

An automatic emptying device 5| as herein-' before set forth may be mounted in the room having the lowest temperature, and it is connected by a bell-crank 52 to a rod 54. This rod is connected by. a bell-crank 53 to a rod 55 of an emptying valve 56 situated at the lowest point of the plant.

When the apparatus 5| (is in operation) it opens the clack valve 56 for the discharge of all the water contained in the plant.

To afford an increased safety, it is possible to employ one or more additional apparatus 51, comprising bell-cranks 58, and acting upon a common valve 56 by means of the aforesaid operating parts 54, 53 and 55.

The parts 54 and 55 may obviously consist of flexible cables.

It is evident that in the apparatus as herein disclosed, which is constructed as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, in such manner as to effect the simultaneous control of the emptying of several receptacles, it is possible when desired to make one or more of the controlling levers l6 inoperative by leaving them in their lower position (as shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 1), the other levers being engaged with the plate I4.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic apparatus for the emptying of a liquid contained in a receptacle when the surrounding air has. attained a given temperature, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a discharge valve for the said receptacle, a device which is deformable by the variations of temperature, a lever controlled by the said device, means controlled by said lever and connected to the discharge valve of the said receptacle, whereby the said discharge valve will be opened when the determined temperature is attained and said lever moved to cause the actuation of said means, spring means associated with said lever for normally holding the same against accidental displacement, and shock absorbing devices for the suspension of the whole apparatus with the exception of said discharge valve.

2. An automatic apparatus for the emptying of a liquid contained in a receptacle when the surrounding air has attained a given temperature, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a discharge valve for the said receptacle, a device which is deformable by the variations of temperature, said device consisting of a plurality of elements which are subjected tosaid variations of temperature, each element having apart which consists of a metal having a relatively small coefficient of expansion and is practically indeformable in a given direction and another part which consists of a metal having a greater coefficient of expansion and is mechanically deformable in the said direction, the latter mentioned parts being deformable in the same direction and assembled end to end in this direction, a lever, the first element beingsecured toa fixed point, and the last element being secured to said lever, means detachably connected to and controlled by said lever, said lever controlled means being operative ly connected to said discharge valve of the said receptacle whereby the said discharge valve will be opened when the hereinabove given temperature is attained and said lever detached from said lever controlled means, and spring means associated with said lever for normally holding the same against accidental displacement.

3. An automatic apparatus for the emptying of a liquid contained in a receptacle when the surrounding air has attained a given temperature, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a discharge valve for the said receptacle, a device which is deformable by the variations of temperature, said device consisting of a plurality of elements which are subjected to said variations of temperature, each element having a part which consists of a metal having a relatively small coefficient of expansion and is practically indeformable in a given direction and another part which consists of ametal having a greater coeflicient of expansion and is mechanically deformable in the said direction, the latter mentioned parts being deformable in the same direction and assembled end to end in this direction, the first element being secured to a fixed point, and the last element being secured to a lever, means controlled by said lever and connected to the discharge valve of the said receptacle whereby the said discharge valve will be opened when the hereinabove given temperature is attained and said lever moved to cause the actuation of said means, spring means associated with said lever for normally holding the same against accidental displacement, and shock-absorbing devices for the suspension of the whole apparatus with the exception of said discharge valve.

4. An automatic apparatus for the emptying of a liquid contained in a receptacle when the surrounding air has attained a given temperature, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a discharge valve for the said receptacle, a device which is deformable by the variations of temperature, said device consisting of a plurality of elements which are subjected to said variations of temperature, each element having a part which consists of a metal having a relatively small coefficient of expansion and is practically indeformable in a given direction and another part which consists of a metal having a greater coefiicient of expansion and is mechanically deformable in the said direction, the latter mentioned parts being deformable in the same direction and assembled end to end in this direction, the first element being secured to a fixed point, a pivotally mounted lever, the last element being flexibly connected to said lever, a counterweight carried by said lever and means controlled by said lever and connected to the discharge valve of the said receptacle whereby the said discharge valve will be opened when the hereinabove given temperature is attained and said lever moved to cause the actuation of said means.

5. An vautomatic apparatus for the emptying of a liquid contained in a receptacle arranged on a' motor vehicle when the surrounding'air has attained a given temperature, said apparatus comprising in combination, a discharge valvefor the said receptacle, meanswhich-is deformable by the variations of temperature, a lever balanced about an axis arranged transversely to the direction of motion of the said vehicle the movement of said lever being controlled by the said means, releasable means controlled by said lever and connected to the discharge valve of the said receptacle whereby the said discharge valve will' be opened when the determined temperature is attained and said lever moved to release said means, spring means associated with said lever for normally holding the same against accidental displacement and shock absorbing means for the suspension of the whole apparatus.

6. An automatic apparatus for the emptying of a liquid contained in a receptacle arranged on a vehicle when the surrounding air has attained a given temperature, said apparatus comprising in combination a discharge valve for the said receptacle, a means which is deformable by the variations of temperature and consisting of elements which are subjected to said variations of temperature, each of said elements having a part consisting of a metal having a relatively small coeificient of expansion and being practically indeformable in a given direction, each of said elements having a second part consisting of a metal having a greater coefficient of expansion and being mechanically deformable in said direction, said second parts being deformable in the same direction and assembled end to end in this direction, a lever balanced about an axis arranged transversely to the direction of movement of said vehicle, the element at one end of said deformable means being secured to a fixed point, and the element at the other end of said meansbeing secured to said lever, means detachably connected to and controlled by said lever, said lever controlled means being operatively connected to said.

discharge valve of the said receptacle whereby the said discharge valve will be opened when said given temperature is attained and said lever moved so as to be detached from said lever controlled means, and spring means associated with said lever for normally holding the same against accidental displacement.

'7. An automatic apparatus for the emptying of a liquid contained in a receptacle arranged on a vehicle when the surrounding air has attained a given temperature, said apparatus comprising in combination a discharge valve for said receptacle, a means which is deformable by the variations of temperature consisting of elements which are subjected to said variations of temperature, each of said elements having a part consisting of a metal having a relatively small coefiicient 'of expansion and practically indeformable in a given direction, each of said elements having a second part having a greater coefiicient of expansion and being mechanically deformable in the said direction, said second parts being deformable in the same direction and assembled end to end in this direction, the element at one end of said deformable means being secured to a fixed point, and the element at the other end of said means being secured to alever balanced about an axis arranged transversely to the direction of motion of said vehicle, releasable means controlled by said lever and connected to said discharge valve whereby the said discharge valve will be opened when the given temperature is attained and said lever moved to release said means, spring means associated with said lever for normally holding the same against accidental displacement, and shock absorbing means for the suspension of the whole apparatus.

8. An automatic apparatus for the emptying of a liquid contained in a receptacle arranged on a vehicle when the surrounding air has attained a given temperature, said apparatus comprising in combination a discharge valve for the said receptacle, a means which is deformable by the variations of. temperature, parts of said means consisting of a metal having a relatively low coefiicient of expansion and being practically inde- Iormabl'e in a given direction, and parts of said means consisting of a metal having a greater coefiicient of expansion and being mechanically deformable in the same direction and assembled end to end in this direction, one end of said. deformable means being secured to a fixed point, a lever balanced about an axis arranged transversely tothe direction of motion of said vehicle, and the opposite end of. said means being flexibly connected to said lever and releasable means connected to the discharge valve and controlled by said lever whereby said valve will be opened when the given temperature is attained and the lever is moved to release said means. 

